Coffee Shop Blues
by SoulLikeABird
Summary: Going to the local coffee house was a everyday routine for Joel. But it was a more gratifying then simply getting his daily dose of coffee. No, there was a more significant reason to why Joel missed coffee so damn much.


**Ok, so this is my first ever The Last of Us drabble or whatnot. I wrote this in one sitting. It takes place right before the hotel chapter when Joel and Ellie are in the coffee house and she asks Joel if he went to coffee shops a lot. So yeah, I have to keep this short because of prior engagements.**

**I hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: The characters portrayed in this fanfiction do not belong to me. This piece is intended for entertainment purposes only. Everything belongs to Naughty Dog.**

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"Did you go to coffee shops a lot?" Ellie questioned hearing the nostalgic tint in Joel's voice. As soon as the words left her mouth though, she wished she bit her tongue. Joel didn't like being asked questions of his life before the cordyceps infection and he had made that pretty clear within the past week.

But to Ellie's surprise, he answered the question easily. "I did. All the time." Joel sighed simply. But as simple as the answer seemed, it threw memories Joel had locked away right in front of him. He heard familiar voices in his head and snippets of images were flashing in his sight.

He was back twenty years ago in a small coffee house that, that particular moment was busy. Voices blended with the soft serenade of old style country music. The air was permanently stained with the aroma of grounded coffee beans and cinnamon buns. The walls were a clean mustard yellow and the windows were sleek and shiny. The skies outside were blue and the sidewalks were bustling with the Tuesday morning hustle traffic. Everything was back to normal.

"Can I have a sip?"

This was a routine for Joel. Get up, make sure Sarah is getting ready for school and once the two are ready for the day, Joel and Sarah take his 2000 Chevy pickup truck to the local coffee shop to have breakfast. It was the one time within the day that he could sit down and enjoy his daughter's company.

Joel's eyes drew up from the small black print of the newspaper held in front of him and trained on his daughter who sat in the dark oak chair in front of him. She was pointing at his steaming blue mug of black coffee which was already half gone. Joel arched a brow at his daughter. "Of what, my coffee?" He inquired with a hint of a smile pulling his lips.

Sarah nodded her head. "mhm." She hummed while tucking a short blonde strand of hair behind her ear.

Joel scoffed and raised his newspaper back up and began trailing the words of the text about political drivel Sarah really couldn't give a care about. "You won't like it." He huffed crossing his legs under the table.

"I bet I will." Sarah argued. Her blue soccer jersey was sporting small rainbow sprinkles that had spilled off her chocolate glazed donut that sits on a napkin on the wooden table. Taking her half eaten donut from the napkin she ripped a piece of it with her teeth and chewed slowly then proceeded to lick the sticky glaze from her lips.

"Go ahead and try it then." Joel challenged folding the paper in half and set it down next to the mug which Sarah was then reaching for.

Sarah's thin fingers wrapped around the mug that was warm to the touch. Joel watched as she raised the mug and touched her lips to the rim before slurping the hot coffee into her mouth. Joel caught the millisecond of disgust that flashed across her features before it was replaced with a forced smile. "Yummy." Sarah chirped setting the mug down.

"Liar." Joel accused teasingly.

"Am not!" Sarah defended.

"Are to."

"Daddy, I am hurt that you would accuse me of bein' a liar." Sarah jutted her lips out in a pout.

"And I am beyond hurt that you have resulted in lyin' to your daddy."

Sarah puckered her lips and rolled her eyes. "Fine, it was _disgusting_." She confessed before letting her tongue fall out of her mouth. She reached for her bottle of apple juice and chugged several gulps down. "How do you like that stuff. It's really bitter and tastes like dirt!" She exclaimed taking another guzzle of juice into her mouth.

Joel chuckled and grabbed his coffee mug before sipping in the bitter liquid he has grown accustomed to over the years. "It's an acquired taste. You will appreciate it when you're older."

"Doubt it." Sarah huffed.

"And what would you get?" Ellie questioned pivoting her sneaker against the trailer she stood on. She was feeling proud of herself that Joel was actually opening up to her at some extent. It actually felt somewhat refreshing.

Feeling a bit disoriented, Joel was thrown from his recollection and back into the inhospitable surroundings of what is left of the flooded coffee shop. Joel shook his head of the memory. "Just…" He stuttered but instantly recovered. "Just coffee."

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**Thoughts, comments and criticism are welcome! Thank you for reading! Have a wonderful day! **


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